Chapter 49

At that moment, Uchiha Chisato suddenly asked, "I've been so busy lately that I haven't checked on your side. Mikoto told me you've already bonded with Uzumaki Kushina and that child named Minato Namikaze?"

"Why so suddenly?"

"You've only been in school for a few days, haven't you? How did you raise their favorability so quickly?"

Kushina aside—after all, she was a descendant of the Uzumaki Clan, and her talent was right there for all to see.

But Minato Namikaze—if she remembered correctly, Xunjing had said before that this boy was the Fourth Hokage from the original timeline of World 703, hadn't he?

Uchiha Chisato remembered her son mentioning it back then.

She had not expected him to win the boy over so soon.

Of course, favorability could not rise that quickly without putting in some effort.

"That's right!"

Xunjing smiled and nodded. "They're kids. Their minds are simple, so they're easy to win over!"

"Kushina was no problem. With Sister Mikoto helping out, plus Lady Mito's support, everything went smoothly."

"She's talented too, so I contracted with her directly."

"As for Minato?"

"He came from an ordinary family, but his talent is just as outstanding. I think very highly of his future."

"And the kid's character is impeccable. He knows gratitude, so his favorability rose incredibly fast."

Uchiha Chisato showed an approving expression after hearing that. "Since you've already made contracts with them, make sure to nurture them properly!"

"They'll be able to help you in the future."

"Bring them over to the house sometime when you're free."

"By the way, have you taken them to the Pirate World yet?"

"Not yet."

Xunjing shook his head. "I've been teaching them Basic Body Technique, Chakra control, and wellness exercises these past few days, so I haven't had the time. I'm planning to take them in a few days."

"Mm."

Uchiha Chisato understood.

She was just about to say something else.

Knock, knock, knock!

Suddenly, knocking sounded from outside the courtyard gate.

Uchiha Chisato paused. She extended her Observation Haki and discovered Uchiha Shidai standing outside. Her expression immediately turned serious.

She got up, walked outside, and opened the courtyard gate. "Shidai, what happened?"

"First Elder, reports have come back from Hidden Cloud Village, Hidden Mist Village, and Hidden Rock Village—all of those villages' elite shinobi have disappeared as a group!"

"Especially Hidden Cloud Village and Hidden Mist Village. Even the Raikage and Mizukage haven't shown themselves all day."

"And over in the Land of Whirlpools, the spies from various ninja villages who had been running around causing trouble have also vanished without a trace these past two days. Not a single one can be seen."

"The brothers in the clan's intelligence department and I analyzed it. There's an eighty percent chance that those three ninja villages have already mobilized their forces and are preparing to strike the Land of Whirlpools."

"The sudden disappearance of those spies within the Land of Whirlpools isn't a good sign. It's the dead calm before the storm."

"They're deliberately putting on this peaceful appearance to lull the Land of Whirlpools into complacency."

"Once the elite forces of each village arrive, I'm afraid they'll launch a thunderous strike."

Uchiha Shidai's face was so grim it seemed water could drip from it as he urgently and firmly reported to Uchiha Chisato.

Keeping watch over these developments was the only task Uchiha Chisato had given him recently.

First Elder had said to monitor them by the highest standards, and Shidai did not dare be careless in the slightest.

After hearing him out, Uchiha Chisato's brows knitted together. She said solemnly, "Your judgment is correct. They should be making their move soon."

"I'll go find Uzumaki Mito immediately and discuss sending troops."

"Send someone to notify Second Elder, Third Elder, and Fourth Elder at once. Tell them to wait at the clan grounds plaza."

"Also, pass down my order. The first and second battalions of the Elite Police Force are to assemble immediately and remain on standby, ready to deploy with me at any time."

The Elite Police Force currently had three battalions in total, with sixty-four people in each, making one hundred and ninety-two people altogether.

It contained nearly seventy percent of the clan's elite.

Even the weakest among them were elite Chunin at the Two-Tomoe level.

Anyone who could not meet even that threshold simply had no qualifications to join the Elite Police Force.

The remaining thirty percent were all Jonin or even Elite Jonin.

The Uchiha of this era were just that formidable.

"Yes!"

Uchiha Shidai answered and turned to leave.

Uchiha Chisato quickly returned to the house and said to Xunjing and Mikoto, "There's movement in the Land of Whirlpools. I need to go see Uzumaki Mito immediately."

"I'll probably be leading troops to the Land of Whirlpools very soon."

"To be safe, I have to make the trip myself this time."

"But I'll leave a Shadow Clone at home. If anything happens, find my clone anytime, and I can return immediately."

"Don't go to school these next few days, and don't leave the clan grounds either. Stay in the clan grounds and behave yourselves."

"If you really need to go somewhere, go to the Pirate World. That way, some rats hiding in the dark won't be able to cause trouble while I'm gone and hurt you."

Uchiha Chisato clearly had no intention of leaving Danzo and his people any opening.

"Understood."

Xunjing and Mikoto nodded together.

"Also, I'll leave Uchiha Liuhuo behind. He'll lead the third battalion of the Elite Police Force and command the rest of the clan's Chunin and Genin to patrol the clan grounds closely during this period. No one will be allowed any chance to spy on the Uchiha."

"And close the pharmacy for the next few days. Store the medicine we've already produced, and reopen once I return. We'll sell it all together then."

Uchiha Chisato added one more thing.

"Okay!" Xunjing and Mikoto answered at the same time.

"Alright, there's nothing else, right? I'll be going now."

She thought carefully and, after confirming she had missed nothing, was about to create a Shadow Clone.

Xunjing hurriedly stopped her. "Don't!"

"Mom, you might run into the Third Raikage, Third Tsuchikage, and the Mizukage's people where you're going this time. Don't casually divide up your Chakra."

"I have a more reliable way to stay in contact."

"What way?" Uchiha Chisato stopped, interested.

Xunjing smiled. "It's actually just a small adjustment to the Space-Time Gate's space."

"I can open up a small area inside specifically for sending messages."

"Each person's bound space can work like a small mailbox. As long as you put something inside, the corresponding person will receive a notification in their mind."

"It's very simple."

This level of operation did not take any effort from him at all.

"It can do that too?" Uchiha Chisato and Mikoto's eyes both lit up.

They had not expected the Space-Time Gate to have such a use.

"Do it as you said. Try it now," Uchiha Chisato urged.

"No problem."

With a thought, Xunjing carved out a small area within the Space-Time Gate's space and divided it into several mailbox slots.

He directly imprinted the names of the five of them on the top row.

After setting up the notification function, he said to Uchiha Chisato, "All done. Give it a try."

"Alright."

Uchiha Chisato tested it.

It worked perfectly.

"Then we'll use this. I won't leave a Shadow Clone behind."

"Stay safe at home. I'm leaving."

With that, her figure flashed, and she rushed toward the Senju Clan Grounds.

Xunjing and Mikoto looked at each other.

"Ah, we're still too young. Our strength isn't enough either."

"Otherwise, Mom wouldn't have to worry so much. Maybe I could even go straight to the battlefield."

There was a trace of unwillingness in Xunjing's voice.

Mikoto smiled and pinched his cheek. "Don't overthink it. You said it yourself—we're still young."

"Let's talk about it after we grow up a little more."

Uchiha Mikoto reached out and pinched Xunjing's cheek, her tone full of amusement. "You've been training desperately all these years. Sooner or later, you'll be able to help Auntie."

"Besides, how are you useless?"

"If it weren't for you, Auntie would never have recovered, and the Uchiha Clan would never have become so united."

"Even my current strength is thanks to you."

"You've already done more than enough."

"Don't always think about growing up faster. Just take things step by step."

Over the past month or so, she had witnessed every change in the clan.

It was practically different every day.

The clansmen, who had originally been split into several factions and scattered in spirit, had rapidly become united during this time.

By now, the radical faction, conservative faction, and fence-sitters had all more or less disappeared.

Xunjing deserved immense credit for that.